Our wedding

 

Our wedding day was May 29, 2010. It was a ton of planning, preparation and organization to get ready since I was planning to do it all myself. Food, flowers, decorations, hair, make-up, set-up, cleanup, the whole shebang... I'm not sure what I was thinking when I thought I could do it all, but with the help of these lovelies


we were able to get it all done. We went to bed at around 4:30 on the day of the wedding and were back up and running and I use that term loosely to get everything ready. I can not thank them enough for all their hard work, even when I was whining about the chance of rain.

I rented this home on Smith Lake to host the event and it turned out perfectly.

 

The home has a great flat lot, that are hard to come by on Smith Lake. Any home that will accommodate at least 60 with plenty of space and parking is hard to come by!

Leslie did my hair and make-up exactly how I wanted. When she had to run to tend to other things, Kristy Williams took over and finished it up perfectly.

 

I think I was the most excited (other than to be marrying my best friend) about the candy buffet. I bought about 30 pounds of candy to fill an entire table. The kids and adults all loved it! We had chocolate covered strawberries and apples, M&M's, Jelly Bellies, Laffy Taffy and so much more all in our coordinating colors of pink and green.

 

I bought all of our flowers from Davis Wholesale. Not knowing what in the heck to buy or how much to buy, I recruited the wonderful Cindy Brown to come help me out. We ordered a ton of flowers including Stargazer Lilies, roses in pink and green, Gerbera Daisies, Spider Mums, Kermit Mums and a ton of other stuff that I have no idea their real names. It was insanely cheap... like $160 cheap. We later learned that florists don't charge a fortune for the flowers, it's their skill you are paying for. We started arranging flowers and making individual flowers at around 11:00 and by this point we were tired and just not feeling it. I started and got frustrated and couldn't make anything that didn't look like crap. Cue Hollyn Davis that missed her calling as a floral designer. She designed these beauties and I quickly began replicating her ideas.

 

We made 6 boutonnieres, 5 mothers bouquets, 5 table arrangements and a bridal bouquet. Want to talk about a mess? We had rose thorns, foliage and stems all over this poor living room!

I ordered our cake from A Piece of Cake in Alabaster.

 

It was white cake with a cream cheese filling and frosting. Damon picked it up for us and transported it to the lake on Friday for Leslie to assemble on Saturday. It was exactly what I had visioned when I placed the order and super yummy too! We added a simple P monogram to the top and it finished it off beautifully.

My handsome groom. Damon is the best thing that could have ever happened to Austin and I. We have been friends for years and after both of our situations changed, we gravitated to each other. As cheesy as it sounds, he really is my best friend, my right arm man right there beside me with everything I want to do.

 

Damon got Austin ready and went outside for his photos before the ceremony. We decided not to see each other before the ceremony so we had to dodge each other and get clearance before entering or exiting a room. Talk about hard to do in a home. Austin was looking out the window at him in this picture and I just love it.

 

I was so happy to see Austin in his suit ready to go. He looked so handsome and grown up. He came to me holding his shoes and asked if he was supposed to wear them. I say yes, get them on and he informs me that they are two different shoes. Yep, he was right. I had bought him a pair that were too small and then the replacement pair and apparently when I laid out everything for Damon to bring on Saturday, I laid out 2 different shoes. Thank God there were a left and a right. He toughed it out and wore them without complaining.

 

Austin ushered in my parents and grandparents and did a great job. I know he had to be hot in his suit, but he was so excited to be a special part I don't even think he noticed it was scorching hot!

 

It was time for me to walk and I don't know what came over me. I guess it was the first time that I had stopped in 3 days and my emotions got to me. I was so happy and excited I just had to let out a tear for a minute. Leslie told me I had to go right then so she stuffed my hand with tissue and I was out the door. As soon as I saw Austin waiting for me at the end of the stairs, all of our family and friends there with us and my best friend at the end of the isle, I was all better and pulled it together. Austin walked me down the isle and stood with us the entire ceremony. He was so good!

 

 

We had a beautiful service by Jake McDonald at the waters edge of the lake. His service was so special to us. He included my favorite scripture "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud." Corinthians 13:4. We wrote our own vows that we decided to repeat after Jake, because I didn't think I could memorize that many lines. Actress, I am not! This is the text of them
"I take you to be my husband/wife, my best friend, and my partner. I will cherish you and love you more each day than the last. I will trust you and respect you. Laugh with you and cry with you, loving you faithfully in times of joy and times of sorrow. Regardless of what lies in our future, I give you my hand and my heart and all I have to give, from this day forward as long as we both shall live.

 

After the ring ceremony, we had a sand ceremony. Damon, Austin and I each had a different color of sand that we poured together into a vase to symbolize the joining of our life together never to be separated and forever one.

 

You may kiss your bride.

 

Our new family. It was very important to me that Austin be included in everything we did (Even our honeymoon. More on that later!) He walked out with us and I love the picture of him holding my dress out of the grass.

 

We have so many great photos to remember our day. Everyone asked me how does a photographer choose a photographer. I didn't. I chose three. All of these photos are courtesy of Rachael Spencer, Kristy Williams and Ashley Hardin. I had the task pleasure of editing all 1500 pictures. I couldn't have asked for better. I am forever thankful to them for being there to capture all of the details of our wedding day.

 

 

The plunge. I still can't believe we did it. I had this idea to jump in the lake in our clothes after the ceremony. I was being encouraged by most and discouraged by a couple. I think my mom thought I was going to sink from the sheer weight of my gown and drown right then and there in front of God and everyone. The photographers went to the neighbors home to ask if they could use their pier to get a different angle on the photos and they brought down a houseful of people to witness. We had a crowd and couldn't turn back then. We got Austin's life jacket out because he really wanted to jump with us but he was so proud of his suit that he didn't want to get it wet and he decided not to jump. We got a running start and took the plunge. Ahhh, bliss. It was so hot that I don't think I have ever felt so refreshed. We got out, snapped a few more pictures then...

 

 

...rushed inside to change. Big props to Leslie and her makeup job. No smeared mascara at all. Just a touch up of powder and lip color and I was good to go again after a quick hair wash and dry. Well, almost. My undergarments that were needed for my cocktail dress didn't dry so quickly so I had to just go with it... or without them should I say? We did the traditional cutting of the cake and toasting.

 

Since we were staying at the lake for several more days, there really wasn't anywhere to go to be able to do the send off so everyone left when they were ready. After everyone had gone, we were both exhausted. We sat on the porch and talked about the days events and laughed about the funny things that had happened. I woke up the next morning to a note in the bed. Now that's a scary feeling. You wake up on the morning after your wedding to a note... and no husband in the bed. The note said "I've gone to fetch my wife breakfast and a few other things. Stay in bed and relax and I'll clean up the mess when I get back." So sweet.

I'll post more about the events of our honeymoon shortly.

I have to give more big thank you's here now.

Leslie, Hollyn, Casey and Shawn... You are life savers. I can never tell you how much I appreciate how much you did for us.

Rachael, Kristy and Ashley... Thank you so much for the wonderful photos. If anyone can appreciate having photos of something so special it's me and I'm so thankful to have had not only 1 but 3 great photographers to be there.

My mom and Mary... Thanks for delivering all the things we couldn't fit. You came to my rescue! Mom, the chicken salad was great too! Thank you!

My dad... Your pork tenderloin was perfect as always. Everyone loved it.. so much people were asking if there were more left-overs of it to take home!

And Damon... Thanks for tolerating my constant worry, planning, list-making, doubt of my abilities and frugaliciousness (a word we have coined in this house throughout this process). I love you.